Apparatus for affixing postage-stamps, labels, or the like, and for selling postage-stamps.



E. HAAS. APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE, AND FOR SELLING POSTAGE STAMPS. APPLIUATION FILED MAY-2,1908.

Patented May 3,1910.

sauna-sum 1.

ilaizio udfdfzm 927* .zwarm E. HAAS. A APPARATUS PPR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE, AND FOR SELLING POSTAGE STAMPS. APPLIUATION FILED MAY 2,1908.

Patented May 3, 1910.

s sugars-sum z.

E. HAAS.

APPARATUS FOR AFPIXING POSTAGE STAMPS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE, AND FOR SELLING POSTAGE STAMPS.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAYQZ, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A jizverzfor- Wm P M Patented May 3, 1910.

. zen of Switzerland, residing at Manchester,

' said plunger.

-struction a stamp or the like rib n presser a front view partly in section, Fig. 4 a side UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST HAAS, 0F MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR AIFmINe-ros'rAGE-srmrs, LABELS, on THE LIKE, AND FOR SELLING POSTAGE-STAMPS.

Specification 0t Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1908. Serial No. 480,828.

To all whom it my concern: Be it known. that I, ERNEST Haas, a cit-1- inthecounty of Lancaster, England, Kingdom of Great Britain, have invented new and useful Improvements in A paratus for Alfixing Postage-Stam' s, La els, 0rv the Like, andfor Selling ostage-Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

'Myinvention relates to improvements in that type of apparatus for aifixin postage stamps, labels or .the like in w lch the stamps or the like by meansof a plunger operated feed are assed over a hinged feed table, over a kni e and dam ing device and arecut 011' and aflixed byt e action of the My invention has for its object to provide means whereby the said type of apparatus is rendered more efficient, expeditious and reliable in action and which means are also applicable to apparatus for the sale of postage stamps.

My invention com rises chiefly a variable stamp or the likefn n feeding device; a stamp or the like'g'ribbon feed table and a damping medium jointly.- vertically movable and means for bringing the latter in and out of action; a removable water supply recep tacle for the saidldam'ping medium; a stamp or the like severing knife of s ecial con.-

foot and gripping or rollers operatin' I fixing or deliver means for removing with stamp affixed;

I attain" these ob ects" by the mechanism illustrated in the panymg three sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectior ial sideview, Fi 2 a plan oi. Fig.1 with cover removed, Big. 3

plunger; and finally e envelop or-the like view showing the plunger down and parts operated thereb in their respective positions. Figs. 5, and 9 are plans, Fig. 6 a front view of the knife, and Fig. 8 a cross sectionof the feed table detached of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my Invention. Figs'.'10 and 11 are respectively a side and an end. view, the latter artly in section; and Figs. 12 and 13 side views, the

latter also partly insection of modifications of my invention, Fig. 14: (Sheet I) is a detached sectional side view of a'modification of the stamp or the like ribbon feed table.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, I fix to the base a of the apparatus a frame '1) preferably turnable on a pivot 0 and secured to the base by a disk 0? and set screw (2. In the front end of the frame b is secured or formed a vertical tube I each end of which is screw-threaded for the reception of a milled headed bush 9 in which a plunger h is employed'having at its bottom enda presser plate a furnished with pins and at its top end'a knob {c and supported by a spring 2- interposed between the knob 71; and top bush g. To the back end of the said frame I fix one or more brackets m in the present instance two, having open hearings in each of which I mount a stamp or the like ribbon bobbin 1? and a pressure roller 39 to rotate thereon. By employing two or more bobbins various kinds of stamps on the like may be used in succession-by withdrawing one and inserting the other. Between the said bobbins and the plunger h I hinge b means of the 'pin g inside of the frame b. a eed table 7* held against stops in its horizontal or normal position,.-say by means of springs 8, say employed at the front end.

.The top of the feed table 1" is longitudinally slotted or grooved, see more particularly Figs. 7 and 8, has side rooves t and in front an opening 10- with a 'ivision bar '0 which latter prevents the ribbon o from passing down theadamping roller opening/ Below the said opening-I employ a recessed damping medium, say a roller-w fixed to a shaft or mounted in a frame 3 fulcrumed tothe pin 9 andadapted to be raised into or lowered out of-the said opening by'means of a crank or cam e on a shaft 2 mounted in bearings-'3 on the feed table 1' and having one end extending through aslot in the frame Z) and with a handle 4 to turn it. One

end of the damping roller shaft w through a slot 1n the frame 6 an milled knob to 'w by hand. Theperiphery of the dampin roller 11: has a r" t and'left hand spire groove each .of which is filled with absorbent (projects has a permit of turning the roller strip prevented from adhering to the roller.

Against the free end of the table r a stationary knife 5 is secured to theframe b which has two or more angular vertical cutting edges 6 in continuation of each other according to the width of the ribbon or the like. See more particularly Fig. 6. The front end of the feed table r has projections 7 Whichextend between the said cutting edges and a ledge '8 reaching below the knife 5. 1

In the lugs -9, 10 on the front of the frame tube f, I employ a vertical rod 11 held in its raised or normal position by means of a spring 12. The .lower end of this rod has a head 13 to which are f-ulcrumed two legs 142 preferably tied together by a spring 15 and each furnished at its free end w1th a grooved arm or roller 16, 17 extending backward to the knife 5 and level with the feed table. The arm or stud of the roller 17 is cranked atits free end and furnished-with an anti;

friction roller 10" adapted to contact with' theledge 8. The lug, 9 forms an abutment forthe head 13 to bring the rollers 16 and lT-level with the feed table 1 and the knife 5. Each arm or roller leg 14 has an incline 18 and in the'path of the same I employ two anti-friction rollers 19 mounted on a T piece 20 rendered vertically adjustable on the lug 9 by the set screws 21.

The presserplate i has. two'projectionst" adaptedto operate in connection. with the arms or rollers 17 as hereinafter described. At the inner side of the presser plate a, a Presser foot 22 is employed having a rod 23 vertically slidably mounted-in The, frame b and under the control of the said plunger, a. small space-24, 1, being-provided between this presser oot and the pr'csser plate 2' for the knife 5 to enter when the said foot slide 25 and of a tubular arm 32 fulcru'med to a stud 33 onlthe plunger h, the said rod being adaptedsto slide in the sa d tubular arIn132 the latter, abutting against the said.

collar and "by thesadjustlnent. of which the movement ;of:-,. the slide 25 s reduced and;.

Til-s ine has a dependiiig meatba l, n-

piece '27 and end a feed foot 36 and near its upper end two antlfrlctlon rollers 37 on the studs 38 projecting through slots 39 in the socket 34:.

-an antifriction roller 43 and to the other end is pivoted an arm 44: with free .end in frlctional contact with a V grooved .pulley 45 fixed on the shaft of the damping roller u).

In connection with the feed foot 36 I ful-' crum to the frame 6 a double arm-46 having at 1ts free ends two cam adapted to'rise and to fal against a etc 348 supporting it in its normal osition his lever 46 1s adaptedio raise tie feed'foot 36 and is so fulcrumed that when the latter is an ti friction roller 43, to pass through the said aperture and insurin the pins .40 on the feed foot to enter therlbbon at the cor rect time. By rendering the plate .52 longitudinally adjustable in relation to the feed foot 36, say by a screw 50 the ribbon feed may be varied at will, .Inthelatter case the plate 52 may have a finger 55 projecting through a slot in the frame side 7), see Figs. 3 and 7, having a graduated scale to'sct the feed as may be equired.

Below the fe d table 7* I employ a reservoir 56 preferably removable and divided in two compartments, one to receive the water and the other which is open, a sponge or they like. The said reservoir may havean 0 ening closable by a lid 5'? by means of w iich rejections l7 and it can be charged withgwater and thegpartition 58 an opening 59' to feed the sponge or thelike with moisture. v l

The base .a below thepresser plate 2' 1s furnishedwith a rubber pad 60 and at both. sides or as inthe present instance at one side thereof I, ma mount in the base ,a a rql or 61 havi g a angefifi at one end forn'nn'g u gage for theenvelop or the like, Tho inhcr a disk 62 and carries a loose pulley G5 wnh a ratchet whceljfifi integral t ler'e'with 'vlth which latter gears 11-. pi'uvllfl fulcrun edio the disk 62, the said'lroller scrvingdorcmose v the cntelops-or the like from underneath the 'plungernfter having had affixed ihcrctdh 120, shaft'endof this roller lms secnrcdtherhto envelo guide pulleys 69 while its upper end is secured to-theplunger h. and its lowerend connected to a spring .70 which keeps the cord or thelike at a tension. On the plunger in descending therolle'r'Gi remains sta- -tionary while when the plunger-Y rises the said pulley and'ratchet wheeL-bee'ome locked which causes the vroller 61' to revolve rapidly. Thev stamp ".or the like ribbon 0 is fed through the mouth7l of the feed table r and near the same a tension roller 72' is provided, which also serves to adjust the'said ribbo a The'apparatus described operates as follows :-Th'e stamps, labels or the like in rib- .bon form provided with erforations are wound onthe bobbin n,"t e plunger h is .rslightlydepressed andlocked, say by a bolt 73 mounted in the frame and the plun er stud 33, the sai -movement causing t e feed foot 36 to lift and remain in araised position. The reservoir 56 is now withdrawn andfilled with water and replaced, the damping roller 'w is lowered by the handle 4 and revolved a few times until 'it has "taken, up sufiicient 'moisture after -which it is raised to..its normal position again by half a turn of the said handle, the

free end of the stri or ribbon o is then pushedinto the merit -71 of the feed table r, and on turning the tension rollerv $72 is.

nipped and drawn toward the front of the apparatus until it appears underneath the presser plated and so set, that the first line" of perforations is in register with the knife 5. Thefirst stamp or label has passed over the damping roller and thereby been moistened sufiicientl 1 and rests on the arms or rollers 16, 17 o the legs 14 ready for afiixing, as shown in'Fi 1. Thebolt 73 is then'withdrawn and t e plunger takes up its --normal position.- The envelop, post card or the like is then placed on the pad 60, the plunger 72, completely de ressed and thereby a stamp 'or label severe and aflixed on the 'nershe presser plate '5 and resser foot 22 m descending contact with t e stamp or the like upon the arms or rollers 16, 17 and grip' the same between them. The arms or rollers and feed table then also descend with the plunger, one-end of each of the arms or rollers engaging in the feed table and-theribbon 0' 18 thereby drawn vertically over the knife and the teeth ofthe latter enter ingthe -per-forations'of the ribbon a stamp or the like becomes severed, while the .pres'ser foot rests upon the ribbon at the mner side of: the knife and prevents the ribbon from being drawn forward. The

rollers allow the. p plate t' to ushed over 'or post card in the following man-- down and aflix the'stam or the like tothe i. Vihile-still open the envelop orthe like.

said arms or rollers then use to their nor-' mal position and are kept open by the projections 1: on the 'presser plate i until the latter has passed themin regaining its normal position. As the feed table r descends the damping roller w is pressed into the sponge and the feed foot thereon" having previouslyv been caused to rise by the cam projection levers .47, 49, falls and the antifriction bowl 43 on the feed foot 36 then rests on the adjustable plate, 52. \Vhenireleasing the plunger it is raised by the spring Z to its normal position, the delivery roller 61 is rapidly revolved and the envelop, post. card or the like moved from under the so l plunger and may slide down the incline 73,

ash

slot 53 therein.- The pins on the said feed foot entering the. perforations of the ribbon,

so the latter is-moved forward, during which" time the damping roller-.is turned by means of thearm 44 and V pulley 45, while the flap exerts a slight pressure on the said ribbon and assists also the turning ,of the damping roller. The slide in its normal position abuts against stops 74 and the time at which the feed foot engages the ribbon o and feeds it can thus be'regulated at will by the screw 50. On the forward movement of the feed foot the anti-friction roller thereon passes underneath the cam projections '47 and lifts the respective lever 46 until clear by the roller when it will drop onto a stop 48 into its normal position, in such a manner that the incline 49 is underneath the friction roller, that is to say, the latter resting on the incline 49.

"It will this be seen that stamps, labels or the like can be aflixed in a 'most ready, expeditious and reliable. manner by simply depressing and releasing the plunger whlle at. the same-time the envelop, post card or the l like'with stamp aflixed isr'emoved.

The apparatus described may also be "adapted for the automatic sale of stamps aflixed to an envelop or post cardfor other wise. For instance, when afiixing stamps,

see Figs. 1 0 and 11, the apparatus isinclosed in a box and the plunger 72; is operated by the hand'lever 7 6 normally locked by a lever 77, arranged in connection with a lever 78 over the i n n'er endof the chute'7 9. 'The operationi'is as-follows, the coin is inserted into the slot 80 and in sliding down the chute 7 9 eauss' the lever 7 7 toturn on its fulcrum and this at the same time move the lever 77 'from under the hand lever"? 6 which releases it. ,Onmdepressing the said [hand lever, a Q .stamp is a i toxthe envelop like placed on the pad 60 in the gap 8l'of the machine, whilewhen releasing the hand leverthe plunger it raises it to its normal position and the lever 77 takes up its position under the lever ,76 thus again locking the hand lever. I11 the apparatus previously described as well as this, itmay be advisable to stop the ribbon feeding device from operating until the moment the hand lever is de pressed. Referrin to Fig. 12, this may be done by a bell cran lever 82, 83 fulcrumed to l the frame 6, the arm 83, of which lever has pivoted a awl 84 having an inclined end whichpaw abuts against a stop 83 and is therefore only movable in an upward direction. The stud 33 of the tubular arm 32 projects. therefrom. and carries a roller 85 adapted to act upon the pawl 84 on the descent of the plunger. When the plunger is at rest the arm 82 of the lever 82, 83 is situated against the slide 25 and thus locks the same in' position. as shown, whereas when the plunger is depressed the roller 85 pressing upon the inclined endof the pawl 84,

forces. the lever arm- 83 back .and thereby v lifts the other arm 82 up and releases the stud 33 on the plunger.

In lieu of raising the feed foot 36' by means of a cam lever46 as described, I may pivot the connectinrod 30- toone end of a bell crank lever 88 i ulcrumed to the slide 25 v and the other end of this lever tothejrod 35 roller fitl may be-mfounteda'on the fee db ;theidamping roller w, as shown in of the feed foot'36. t

' Referring to Fig. 14, Sheet I, in some cases I may find it an advantage to accelerate the rise of the feed .foot 36 when the feed slide 25 moves outward by fulcruming a lever 87 to the top of the slide 25,- one endof which engages the top end of thefoot rod 35 while I the otherend is engaged by a pawl 88 fulcrumed to the stationary part of the ma- ,chine. The moment the slide 25 moves, the

lever 87 iscausedto turn on its fulcrum and raise the foot 36 and retain it inits raised ,positionnntil the; slide" 25 hasmoVed far enough to disengage the lever from the pawl 88 andon the return of the slide25thepawl 88" engages the lever87 a ain. In l1euotthe -,fiap 41 SIOWII. inFi .14. I fclaim;

it into two 1, a' table 1. In an apparatus postage stamps, labels and the like-and orsellin'g plostage stamps, a plunger -=operated stamp above the said table, a feed foot vertically movable in the said slide, automatic means for raising and lowering the. said feed foot and a telescopic rod having an abutment connecting the said plunger and slide loosely together, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth. it

2. Inan apparatus for aiiixing postage stamps, labels and the like and for selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, comprising a hinged feed table, means for vertically-moving the said table independently of the frame of the apparatus, a spring influenced feed slide above the said table, a lever fulcrumed in front of the said feed slide with its free end pointing rearward and having cam projections with inclines for raising the said feed foot, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth..-

3. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps, labels and the like and for selling osta e stam s, a lun er 0 erated stamp i'ibboi i feeding devi de, c%mpribing a hinged feed table, means for vertically moving the said table independently of the frame ofthe apparatus, a spring influenced feed slide above the said table, a feed foot vertically movable in the said slide andmeans for regulatin the feed of the stamp ribbon, consisting o a projection on the feed foot, a

plate fixed adjnstably in relation to the said projection having an aperture "through which the said projection can drop, all combined substantially as and for the' purpose set forth. Y

4-111 an apparatus for ailixing postage stamps, labels andthelike and for selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, compris ng a hinged stamp ribbon feed tablehaving a longitudinally ribbed face and a damping medium opening across the said ribbed face dividing arts,'all combined substantially as and for t e purpose set forth;

5. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps, labels and the like'and for selling postage stamps, a hinged vertically movable stamp ribbonfeed table, springssupporting it, a damping medium carried thereby, and means'for raising and lowe'rin the damping "medium on the said feed table independently of. the movement of the latter, all combined substantially as and .kfor' 'the purpose set "forth. 1 v

i. 6. In an'apparatus 'fora'fllxin' postage stamps,-labels and the like and or selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, comprisin a stamp ribbon feed table having a ribbe face and an opening, a damping medium carried by contact with the absorbent material groove in its surface and absorbent material in the said grooves level with the said sur-' face, all combined substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

7. In an apparatus for aflixing postage stamps, labels and-the like and for selling postage stamps, a plung'er ope-rated stamp ribbon feeding device, a stamp ribbon feed table and a damping vertically moving damping roller carried by the said table, a receptacle below containing water and absorbent material to be saturated by the said water and means for intermit-i tently rotating the said damping roller in and having moisture imparted thereto by the said absorbent material, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth,

In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps, labels and the like and for selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, a spring supported hinged feed table, a pair of arms normally level with and forming a continuation of the said feed table, adapted to normally support 'he projecting end of the stamp ribbon and on the descent of the plunger together with the latter grip it and descend with the said table and means for laterally moving apart the said arms and rollers to allow the plu-n ger to pass and means for raising the said arms and rollers into their normal position, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an apparatus for aflixing postage stamps, labels and the like andfor selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, a spring supported hinged feed table, a presser foot at the side of the plunger adapted to descend therewith and rest upon device comprising a 11. In an apparatus for the stamp ribbon on the feed 7 table while cutting off a stamp and after ward rise with the plunger, all combined. substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an apparatus for aflixing postage stamps, and' the like and for selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp feeding device, a stationary knife for cutting the stamp ribbon having angular vertical cut ting edges in continuation of each other, and means for grippingtheprojecting end of the stamp ribbon and vertically pressing it upon the said knife, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

affixing postage stamps, labels and the like, a plunger operated' stamp feeding device, a roller mounted in the base of the apparatus upon which the envelop requirin a stamp is placed and a spring influence oordconnected with the plunger for intermittently rotating the said roll'er'when the plunger rises and throws off the envelop with stamp affixed, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 12. Inan apparatus for aflixing postage stamps, labels andthe like and for selling postage stamps, a plunger operated stamp ribbon feeding device, astamp affixing mechanism, and automatic means for temporarily locking in position and unlocking the said feeding device before its return movement,

comprising a pawl lever operated by thesaid plunger all combined substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED BossiIARn'r, STANLEY E. BRAMALL. 

